Color-coded Custom breakdown structure
The Custom Breakdown tool is used to classify the elements based on certain criteria. Usually, these criteria refer to the specific property of the selected elements. For example, Custom Breakdown tool can be used for the 3D BIM model quality control. This tool allows checking if some element’s attribute is miswritten. With this option, the software detects all differences in the entry of properties, such as spaces, uppercase and lowercase, numbers, etc. In this way, different deviations can be quickly detected to improve the quality of the 3D BIM model.
Creating a custom breakdown based on a source
A BIM model usually contains numerous partial models. For example, a project consists of a structural, architectural, and MEP model. But when dealing with larger models, the model often consists of a couple of dozen models. So, to check if all models were correctly imported, a custom breakdown structure can be created, and the project is divided according to sources. Please follow the steps below to create a custom breakdown like this:
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette on the left side of the screen → Click on the arrow beside the New command and choose the Blank Custom Breakdown… option → In the Create Custom Breakdown window, define the name of the structure → Under the Type choose option Buildings and check the box in front of the listed buildings → Click on the Use Selection button → Click on the Add Breakdown Rule and in the drop-down menu choose option Group by Source → Finish the process by clicking OK.
Creating a custom breakdown structure based on a property
In this example a blank custom breakdown structure will be created using the property option based on the MasterFormat attribute. While creating a structure, a Color Coding rule will be created and the Perspective Color Coded View will be activated.
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette on the left side of the screen → Click on the arrow beside the New command and choose the Blank Custom Breakdown… option → In the Create Custom Breakdown window, define the name of the structure → Under the Type choose option Buildings and check the box in front of the listed buildings → Click on the Use Selection button → Click on the Add Breakdown Rule and in the drop-down menu choose Group by Property… option → Within the Select Property window in the Filter section enter the desired property (for example MasterFormat) and click on the Filter command → Choose the appropriate textual attribute → Click OK.
→ Click on the Group by Property ‘Master Format’ and then on the Set Color Coding Rule command → Click on the Generate button to expand the structure → Finish the process by clicking OK.
To check color-coded elements, go to Perspective Color Coded view and choose Custom Breakdowns from the Viewer Mode drop-down menu.
Within the Select Property window is a Filter command, which enables writing only a part of the properties name, for example, mas for the MasterFormat property name. By clicking on the Filter command, the software will find appropriate attributes. This enables an easier search for property.
Creating a custom breakdown structure based on a property using the substring command
Another beneficial option within the Custom Breakdown palette is the Substring command, for creating a structure corresponding to a real MasterFormat or UniFormat classification structure. The process below will demonstrate how to create a structure like this:
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette on the left side of the screen → Click on the arrow beside the New command and choose the Blank Custom Breakdown… option → In the Create Custom Breakdown window define the name of the structure → Under the Type choose option Buildings and check the box in front of the listed buildings → Click on the Use Selection button → Click on the Add Breakdown Rule and in the drop-down menu choose Group by Property… option → Within the Select Property window in the Filter section enter desired property (for example MasterFormat) and choose the appropriate textual attribute → Click on the added MasterFormat property to activate the Substring command and check the box in the lower corner of the window → In the Start Position window enter number 1 and in the Length window enter number 5 →Defined rule by MasterFormat property will apply to first four letters of MasterFormat code as per specified substring length. → Click OK.
→ In the Create Custom Breakdown window, click on the rule with right-click → In the drop-down menu, choose the option Add Rule and click on the Property… command → In the Select Property window, define MasterFormat property and click OK → The preview of the created custom breakdown structure is shown in the Custom Breakdown palette.
Creating a custom breakdown structure based on a property range
A Custom Breakdown structure based on the property range is used to overview different ranges of the same property, for example, Area. An example for category Walls, grouped by building levels and Area property range, is presented below:
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette located on the left side of the screen → Click on the arrow beside the New command and choose the Blank Custom Breakdown… option → In the Create Custom Breakdown window, define the name of the structure → Under the Type choose option Categories and check the box before the category Walls → Click Use Selection → Click on the Add Breakdown Rule and in the drop-down menu choose Group by Building Level option → Right-click on the Group by Building Level rule and choose option Add Rule and click on Property range…
→ Within the Select Property and Range window in the Filter section, enter Area and choose the appropriate attribute → Enter 10 in the Range Border box and click on the Add button → Enter 30 in the Range Border box and again the Add button → Finish the process by clicking OK.
When the first rule was set, the structure was divided according to building levels. The second rule divided areas by building levels and three groups. The first represents areas smaller than 10 square meters; the second group summons areas between 10 and 30 square meters, and the last is larger than 30 square meters.
In the last step, Set Color Coding Rule Continuous will be added to review the result of our Custom Breakdown structure in Perspective Color Coded view → Click on the Group by Property ‘Area’ in ranges (10.000 m2, 30.000 m2) and afterward the Set Color Coding Rule Continuous command → Click on the Generate button to expand the structure → Finish the process by clicking OK.
To review only colored elements within the Perspective Color Coded view, click on the Show Only Colored Elements command located in the command line within the Perspective Color Coded view, shown in the picture below.
Editing the custom breakdown structure by adding the color coding rule
The Set Color Coded rule is used to color the custom breakdown structure based on the defined criteria and a better visual representation within the Ortho Color Coded and Perspective Color Coded View. To add the rule to the custom breakdown structure the structure has to be edited following the steps below. The Edit command enables various things, for example, editing the name, deleting a rule, or adding a new one to an existing structure.
Click on the custom breakdown structure to add the color coding rule within the Custom Breakdowns palette → Click Edit → The Edit Custom Breakdown window opens → Click on the Reset Tree command → Click on the Group by… (It depends on which grouping rule is defined) → Click on the Set Color Coding rule.
After adding the Color Coding Rule to a custom breakdown structure, activate the Ortho Color Coded or Perspective Color Coded view to review the result.
Change the color of color-coded elements
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette located on the left side of the screen → Select the Custom Breakdown structure → Click Edit Legend → The Edit Color Legend window will open → Select the items from the list and click on the Change button → The color palette will open → Define a new color for specific item → Finish the process by clicking OK.
Export Custom Template and Export To Knowledge Base
A created custom breakdown structure can be saved as a template and later used on a new project or can be exchanged with another user as a .bxf file.
Export Custom Template command can be used to export a Custom Breakdowns structure specifically related to the user or the project itself. In this case, user can choose the location where the file will be saved.
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette located on the left side of the screen → Select the Custom Breakdown structure to export → Click on the Templates button and choose Export Custom Template → Define the Custom Breakdowns structure name → Finish the process by clicking Save.
To export a Custom Breakdowns structure that can be used universally for several projects, use the Export To Knowledge Base command. Such files should be stored in the original Knowledge Base folder within the current version of the software.
Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette located on the left side of the screen → Select the Custom Breakdown structure to export → Click on the Templates button and choose Export To Knowledge Base → Define the Custom Breakdowns structure name → Finish the process by clicking Save.
Created templates can be imported from the Knowledge base or custom template location using the Templates command within the Create Custom Breakdown window. Two options are available, Import From Knowledge Base or Import Custom Template. By choosing the template file the system automatically creates Custom Breakdown Structure as per defined rules specified in the template.
Importing the Custom Breakdown structures with the Exchange command
To import the previously created Custom Breakdown structure with the Exchange command follow the process below:
Click on the Exchange command and click on the Import command within the Exchange data with another Bexel project → In the Open window, define the .bxf file, which should be imported, and then click on the Open button → In the Choose Sections for Import window check the box in front of the Custom Breakdowns and finish the process by clicking OK.
Exporting the Custom Breakdown structures with the Exchange command
To export created Custom Breakdown structure with the Exchange command, follow the process below:
Click on the Exchange command and click on the Export command within the Exchange data with another Bexel project → In the Exchange Wizard window, check the box in front of the Custom Breakdowns and click on the Next button → In the next step all the Custom Breakdown structures will be displayed and choose the Select All button and afterward the Finish button → In the Save As window define the name and finish the process by clicking OK.
